How to Remove Japanese Keyword Hack from WordPress (2026 Guide)

Introduction

Japanese Keyword Hack is one of the most dangerous WordPress SEO spam infections. It creates thousands of spam pages in Google search results and can damage your website rankings, reputation, and security. In this guide, you will learn how to remove the Japanese keyword hack from WordPress step by step.

If your WordPress website suddenly starts showing Japanese text in Google search results, spam pages, or strange product links you never created, your site has likely been infected with the Japanese keyword hack.

You may notice strange Japanese pages in Google search results, unexpected redirects, spam URLs, or sudden drops in website traffic.

This is one of the most common SEO spam attacks targeting WordPress websites.

The scary part?

Many website owners don’t even realize their site is hacked until the following happens:

• Google traffic drops
• Spam pages appear in search results
• Customers report suspicious links
• Google Search Console shows indexing issues

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• What the Japanese Keyword Hack is
• How hackers infect WordPress sites
• How to detect hidden spam pages
• Step-by-step malware removal process
• How to secure your website afterward

Japanese Keyword

What Is the Japanese Keyword Hack?

The Japanese Keyword Hack is a type of SEO spam malware attack where hackers inject thousands of spam pages into your WordPress website.

These pages usually contain:

•  Japanese text
•  Fake product listings
•  Spam affiliate links
•  Counterfeit products
•  Redirect malware

Hackers create these pages to:

•  Manipulate Google rankings
•  Generate affiliate commissions
•  Redirect visitors to malicious websites
•  Abuse your domain authority

Even worse, many of these pages remain hidden from normal visitors.

This means:

Your website may look completely normal while Google indexes thousands of spam URLs in the background.

Common Signs of Japanese SEO Spam

Here are the most common warning signs:

🚨 1. Japanese Text in Google Results

You may notice strange Japanese titles and descriptions appearing when searching your website on Google.

Example:

site:yourdomain.com

🚨 2. Sudden Traffic Drop

Google may reduce rankings or blacklist infected pages.

🚨 3. Unknown Spam Pages

Hackers often generate hidden pages automatically.

Example URLs:

•  /cheap-shoes-sale/
•  /jp-products/
•  /best-online-store/

🚨 4. Redirects to Spam Websites

Visitors may be redirected to suspicious websites.

🚨 5. Unknown Files in WordPress

You may find suspicious PHP files inside:

•  /wp-content/uploads/
•  /wp-includes/
•  /tmp/

Japanese spam pages indexed in Google

How Hackers Infect WordPress Websites

• The Japanese keyword hack usually enters websites through the following:
•  Vulnerable plugins
•  Outdated themes
•  Weak admin passwords
•  Pirated themes/plugins
•  Unsecured hosting environments
•  File upload vulnerabilities

Once hackers gain access, they inject the following:

•  Backdoors
•  Spam databases
•  Malicious PHP scripts
•  Hidden redirect code

These malicious files help attackers maintain persistent access even after partial cleanup.

Step-by-Step: How to Remove Japanese Keyword Hack

Step 1—Put the website in maintenance mode.

Before cleanup:

•  Create a full backup
•  Enable maintenance mode
•  Avoid making live changes without backup

Recommended plugins:

• UpdraftPlus
• All-in-One WP Migration

Step 2 — Scan Your Website

Use security scanners to identify malware.

Recommended tools:

• Wordfence
• Sucuri SiteCheck
• MalCare

Also scan manually using terminal commands.

Example:

find. -type f -name "*.php"

WordPress malware scan results

WordPress malware scan results

Step 3 — Check Indexed Spam Pages

Search Google using:

site:yourdomain.com

Look for:

• Japanese titles
• Spam keywords
• Fake product pages

You can also check:

Google Search Console → Pages → Indexed Pages

Step 4 — Remove Malicious Files

Carefully inspect:

• wp-content/uploads/
• wp-includes/
• wp-admin/
• themes/
• plugins/

Remove:

• Obfuscated code
• Unknown PHP files
• Suspicious cron jobs
• Hidden backdoors

Common suspicious functions:

base64_decode()

eval()

gzinflate()

str_rot13()

Malicious PHP code inside WordPress website

Step 5 — Update Everything

Update:

• WordPress core
• Themes
• Plugins

Delete:

• Unused plugins
• Inactive themes
• Pirated software

Outdated software is one of the biggest causes of reinfection.

Step 6 — Change All Passwords

Immediately change:

• WordPress admin passwords
• Hosting passwords
• Database passwords
• FTP/SFTP passwords

Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) if possible.

Step 7 — Secure Your Website

Important hardening steps:

✅ Disable PHP Execution in Uploads Folder

Create .htaccess inside the uploads folder:

<Files *.php>

Deny from all

</Files>

✅ Install Firewall

Recommended:

• Wordfence
• Sucuri Firewall
• Cloudflare

✅ Limit Login Attempts

Block brute-force attacks.

✅ Enable Regular Backups

Daily backups are essential.

WordPress security hardening process

How to Remove Japanese Spam URLs from Google

After cleaning malware:

Use Google Search Console

Steps:

Open Google Search Console

1. Go to Removals
2. Request temporary removal
3. Submit sitemap again. 
4. Request reindexing

This helps Google reprocess clean pages faster.

How to Prevent Japanese Keyword Hack in Future

Follow these best practices:

• Keep WordPress updated
• Use trusted plugins/themes
• Avoid null software
• Use strong passwords
• Enable firewall protection
• Monitor login activity
• Perform regular malware scans
• Backup your website daily

Website security is not a one-time task.

It requires continuous monitoring.

Final Thoughts

The Japanese Keyword Hack can seriously damage the following:

• SEO rankings
• Business reputation
• Website traffic
• Customer trust

The worst part is that many infected websites show no visible signs initially.

That’s why regular malware scanning and security hardening are extremely important.

If your WordPress website shows Japanese spam pages, unusual redirects, or suspicious behavior, take action immediately before the damage grows.

Need Help Cleaning Your WordPress Website?

I help website owners:

• Remove malware manually
• Clean Japanese SEO spam
• Secure WordPress websites
• Remove hidden backdoors
• Recover hacked websites safely

📩 Need help fixing a hacked WordPress website?
Contact me on Fiverr

FAQ

Can Japanese keyword hacks affect SEO?

Yes, it can damage rankings and inject spam pages into Google search results.

How do hackers infect WordPress websites?

Usually through vulnerable plugins, themes, or weak passwords.

Can I remove Japanese spam pages manually?

Yes, but hidden backdoors must also be removed.

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How to Fix WordPress Redirect Hack (2026 Complete Guide)

How to Fix "Error Establishing a Database Connection" in WordPress (2026 Updated Guide)

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